


We Get What We Deserve

by arcanaorbis



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean Winchester's Birthday, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Minor Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:36:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28966218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcanaorbis/pseuds/arcanaorbis
Summary: Dean doesn't care about celebrating his birthday, but Cas has other plans.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester
Comments: 5
Kudos: 64





	We Get What We Deserve

**Author's Note:**

> Happy 42nd Birthday, Dean Winchester! I wrote this on a whim and really enjoyed fleshing it out. This is the first fanfiction I've publicly posted in a very long time and it's been even longer since I've written Supernatural fanfiction, so I hope it's up to par! I have to say that I'm not 100% satisfied but I hope that you all enjoy it regardless.  
>   
>  **Note** : There is a very explicit sex scene at the beginning. If that's not really your thing, you _can_ skip to the first page break and read the rest without missing out on too much.

“It’s almost midnight,” Cas whispers against Dean’s jaw. His fingertips lazily brush across the space between Dean’s hips underneath his shirt. He hears a soft sigh of contentment pass through Dean’s lips.

“So what?” Dean’s arm is draped over Cas’ shoulders; he tries to pull him closer, but Cas wriggles free. He props up on his elbow and stares down at Dean with squinted eyes.

“Your birthday, Dean.”

Dean responds with a massive eye roll.

“I was hoping you’d forget.”

“I could never forget.” Cas’ tone is sharp, almost defensive. He exhales loudly before reaching over and cupping Dean’s cheek. Their eyes meet – Cas’ serious and Dean’s annoyed.

“Why are you being so stubborn about this?” Cas asks bluntly, stroking his thumb across the crest of Dean’s cheekbone, “Birthdays are a time to celebrate but you seem… unhappy.”

Dean knows that Cas is just trying to do something nice for him on his birthday – he’s been asking Dean about this for _weeks_. But truthfully? He never thought he’d see 42 and part of him felt like if he acknowledged it, it might actually _be_ the last birthday he would celebrate. Birthdays – _so not his thing_.

“I’unno, Cas, it’s just not really a big deal to me,” he lies, “Plus, I’m old as shit.”

It’s Cas’ turn to roll his eyes. He presses his forehead to Dean’s and sighs deeply.

“Well, it’s a big deal to _me_ ,” Cas retorts, eyes narrowing again, “42 is _not_ old.”

“Maybe not to you, but for humans, that’s like… you better start looking at brochures for nursing homes.”

Dean snorts at his own joke; Cas is unamused.

“You’re insufferable.”

“I know.” Dean leans forward and kisses him fondly. He feels Cas melt into him. When he pulls away, ever so slightly, he whispers against Cas’ lips, “C’mere, sweetheart, you’re too far away.”

Without a word, Cas settles back into the space he had occupied before. A few quiet minutes pass before he speaks up.

“I want to give you something. Can I at least do that?” His voice is low, so much so that Dean barely hears him.

“What is it?” He presses a kiss into Cas’ hair.

Cas shifts again, rolls himself on top of Dean. Cas takes Dean’s face in his hands and kisses him deeply. His tongue runs along the edge of Dean’s top teeth. A soft _oh_ lands in Cas’ mouth. Dean opens his lips to say something, but nothing comes out. Cas brushes his lips against Dean’s.

“Birthday sex?” Dean asks finally with a breathless laugh.

Cas’ answer comes in the form of another kiss, a little more urgent this time. He can already feel Dean getting hard.

“Let me please you,” Cas says into Dean’s mouth; he feels Dean shudder slightly underneath him.

Dean presses his body up into Cas’, grabs his bottom lip between his teeth gently. Cas hums pleasantly and ruts his hips against Dean’s. As they kiss, Cas slides his hands up the back of Dean’s neck, into his hair. It’s not quite long enough to tangle his fingers in, but it’s still enough to give it a gentle pull. Dean lets his head fall back, exposing his neck. With wet lips, Cas starts to kiss across his jaw, then down his neck, until he reaches the collar of Dean’s T-shirt. With deft fingers, Cas reaches down to tug at the hem of Dean’s shirt; Dean gladly obliges Cas’ wordless request and takes it off.

For a moment, Cas sits back and stares at Dean with a pleasant expression. His eyes slowly scan over ever visible inch of Dean before they come back to settle on his beautiful face. Cas notices that Dean is blushing all the way down to his neck. A little smirk pulls at the corner of Cas’ lips.

Dean is not used to being the center of attention like this.

“Cas…” Dean breathes out, reaching forward to gently touch his face. He says nothing else because the words get trapped in his throat.

Cas moves to straddle Dean’s lap. Now he can really feel Dean’s cock straining against the fabric of his pajama pants. He grazes his fingertips across it ever so lightly; Dean hisses softly, eyes closing.

But Cas has no intentions of going there – yet. Instead, he leans forward and begins to press tender kisses along his chest, his arms, his belly. His strong hands massage Dean’s shoulders, working out the tension that has built up there over the years. He hears Dean whisper something, but he doesn’t quite catch what he says – he’s too busy worshipping Dean’s body.

Cas starts to make his way back up Dean’s neck when Dean grabs his face and pulls him in for another kiss. So softly, their lips are barely touching. Cas quivers as a wave of love cascades over him. He can hear his heart pounding in his ears. Then, Dean kisses the corner of Cas’ mouth, his cheek, his ear, the sharp angle of his jaw. His eyes flutter closed as he lolls his head back and relishes the gentle touch of Dean’s lips. He doesn’t open his eyes again until he feels Dean fingering at the top button of his pajama shirt.

“Let me see you, beautiful.” Dean’s voice is so soft, so sweet. It’s like poetry, Cas thinks. He helps Dean unbutton his shirt, their hands working in unison. Once unbuttoned, Dean pushes the fabric away, allowing it to fall onto the floor. His breath hitches at the sight of Cas – the perfect angle of his shoulders, the rounded edges of his muscular arms. His shaking hand finds a place to rest on Cas’ chest; Cas places his own hand over Dean’s and stares into the pools of his green eyes.

“I want you to know,” Cas whispers, squeezing Dean’s hand, “just how much you are loved, Dean. I want to show you.”

Dean lets out a breath, as if he’s been holding it this whole time. He nods slightly, still staring up at Cas with heavy-lidded eyes. Cas takes Dean’s hand and moves it to his hip. Dean takes the cue and places his other hand on the other side. Cas leans down, kisses his mouth again. He breathes into him, fills him so full of his love and adoration. Dean’s fingers press into the skin of Cas’ hips and sighs. Dean feels everything so acutely – the brush of Cas’ skin, the tingle of mint on his lips from Cas’ toothpaste, the heat of his breath on his face.

In many ways, it’s overwhelming. It’s terrifying. Dean rarely feels so vulnerable but being like this with Cas makes him feel like he’s been cracked wide open. Like Cas is reaching inside of him and pulling out all of his secrets.

Dean is lost in his thoughts as they kiss until Cas starts to rock his hips against Dean. He can feel Cas’ hard on against his own and he lets out a low groan. Dean lets his hands slide to the small of Cas’ back; he presses his palms into that space hard, dragging Cas down into him.

“ _Oh, Dean_.” Cas catches his lips again, kisses him fondly but firmly, lets his tongue meet Dean’s. When he pulls away, they’re both panting; both of them know full well they haven’t had enough. And Cas can’t help himself in that moment. He’s so _hungry_ for Dean. He grabs Dean’s chin and leans in to kiss him – harder, more fervently. Dean moans into his mouth as he digs his fingers into Cas’ skin. They kiss until neither of them can breathe, until Cas has to rock back on his heels and wipe away beads of sweat from his forehead.

“I—” Dean starts, but can’t finish, because he’s still trying to catch his breath. Cas leans forward, frames Dean’s head with his hands. Dean is unraveling fast. His chest heaves with unsteady breaths and his irises have been completely enveloped by his pupils. Dean moves one of his hands, places his fingers against Cas’ parted lips. Cas places a gentle kiss on each of his fingertips, before returning to lick them. Dean stares up at him, stunned; Cas feels him twitch.

“ _Fuck_ ,” comes Dean’s breathless reply, “That’s _hot_.”

Cas smiles, a small glint of something mischievous in his eyes. He grabs Dean’s hand lingering near his lips. He puts Dean’s pointer finger in his mouth and sucks on it, never breaking eye contact. Dean feels his soul leave his body.

“God _damnit_ , I’m _so hard_.” Dean can barely get the words out.

Cas releases his finger with a little pop.

“I know.”

“Cas, _please_.” There’s desperation in Dean’s eyes, in his voice.

“Not yet, my love.”

Cas shifts to be able to pull Dean’s pajama pants halfway down. Dean kicks them off the rest of the way and quickly reaches for the waistband of Cas’ underwear. He allows Dean to take them off – with a little awkward fumbling thanks to their position – and breathes a sigh of relief when they’re on the floor.

“ _Good God, Cas_.” Dean is laying back, slack-jawed, staring at Cas’ dick. He sits up slightly and reaches out to grab him, but Cas stops him with a tight grip around his wrist.

“No,” Cas chides quietly. Dean grunts in frustration. He collapses back into the pillows. A little smile crosses Cas’ lips.

Without warning, Cas reaches between them and grabs Dean’s cock. He watches as Dean rolls his eyes back into his head, eyelids fluttering. He starts to gently stroke Dean, who has already started to shake underneath him. The only sounds in the room are their ragged breaths.

Cas keeps this up until Dean suddenly reaches up and grabs his wrist – hard.

“W-Wait, Cas, hold on.” He’s gritting his teeth. “Slower, baby.”

He obliges, loosening his hand and stroking Dean painfully slow. Dean lets out a deep, guttural moan and digs his heels into the mattress. He can already feel an orgasm building up already and he knows if Cas keeps this up for much longer, he’s going to come.

When he gets too close, he grabs Cas’ hand, stilling it.

“You gotta stop.”

Cas releases him and rolls back on his heels. He motions for Dean to sit up. Then, in one swift move, Cas rolls them over – Cas now on his back and Dean straddling his lap. He starts to stroke himself while Dean watches. Dean tries to reach out and touch him, but Cas stops him and shakes his head slowly.

“Please, Cas,” Dean rasps out, licking his lips.

Cas shakes his head again and continues to stroke himself. His eyes never leave Dean’s. After a long moment, Cas reaches forward and starts to stroke Dean again with his other hand. The sound that leaves Dean’s body is almost inhuman, a strangled sound that sends a wave of heat through Cas’ veins. They stay like this for a moment, groaning and panting and whispering each other’s names until Cas suddenly stills. He sits up and blindly reaches toward the bedside table, feeling for the bottle of lube that stays strategically placed for… convenience. Once he finds it, he dumps out a generous amount into his hand and slicks himself up.

Dean stares down at him, swallowing hard. He has a feeling he knows what Cas is about to say.

“I want you on top.” Cas is so matter of fact about it.

Dean flushes bright red and bites down on his lip. He blinks slowly a few times before nodding wordlessly. He grabs the bottle from Cas and quickly gets himself prepared. Once he’s done, he tosses the bottle away and wipes his hand on the sheet.

“Are you ready?” Cas asks sweetly, still stroking himself slowly. Dean nods again, deliberately, already feeling heat pooling in his belly.

As Dean slowly begins to lower himself onto Cas’ dick, Cas guides himself in. Dean takes the head of his cock easily but winces a little as he tries to take more.

“Slow, Cas.”

“I know, my love.”

They spend a few minutes allowing Dean to adjust. Cas keeps softly reminding him there’s nothing wrong with taking his time. Once they had gotten into a comfortable position, Cas checks in by giving Dean a gentle squeeze on his thigh – a little signal they use. Dean nods, takes a deep breath, and reaches forward to grab hold of the headboard. Cas shifts slightly underneath him, an action that made Dean moan softly. Cas places his hands on Dean’s hips and, very slowly, starts to thrust into him.

Dean grips the headboard until his knuckles are white. It doesn’t take long for him to be a gasping, moaning mess. But as Cas starts to find his rhythm, Dean begins to move his hips in time. Dean moving with him, looking down at him with so much love in his eyes – Cas starts to fall apart. He digs his fingers into Dean’s hips as he starts to pick up the pace; in response, Dean groans and tries to match his rhythm.

Time seems to slow down as they move in sync. They never look away from each other, save the times their eyes close against their will. Dean lets go of the headboard and frames Cas’ face with his hands instead. In that same moment, Cas reaches forward and starts to stroke Dean’s cock. With his other hand, he reaches up and cups Dean’s cheek.

“I love you, Dean.”

“Oh, Cas,” Dean manages to say through his broken gasps, “I love you too, sweetheart.”

There’s a short pause and then Dean breathes out shakily, trying to maintain some form of composure.

“You’re so beautiful, angel. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Dean leans in close, manages to kiss Cas on the tip of the nose.

Cas smiles at Dean, but his lips are trembling slightly. Dean takes notice and allows the smallest smirk to cross his lips. Cas places a hand over Dean’s heart, feels the erratic beating in his chest.

“Dean…”

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you’re here. With me. I’m so _happy_.”

Dean feels his muscles start to tense in his lower belly. He tips his head back and lets out a long, sweet moan. Strings of broken sentences pour out of Cas’ mouth – _oh Dean, I love you, please, I’m going to…_

Dean knows, he can feel Cas’ energy vibrating. Dean dips down to kiss Cas fondly, fingers tangling in his hair.

“I’m close,” he murmurs against Cas’ lips, “I’m _so_ close.”

Cas brushes his lips against Dean’s. He’s still stroking Dean, but his other hand has fallen to the bed and his fingers claw at the sheets. He doesn’t want to come before Dean, but he’s there, he’s _right there_ , and there’s no stopping it. He manages to push Dean back just enough to look at his beautiful face before a low, drawn out moan leaves his throat.

Dean says something but Cas doesn’t hear it. He’s coming hard, rutting his hips up against Dean as he does. His eyes flash bright blue for a split second before dimming again. When Cas finally comes back to his surroundings, Dean is staring down at him in absolute awe. And then, with several soft moans, Dean comes too, all over Cas’ belly and chest. Cas seems pleased, a wide smile spreading across his face watching Dean come. He keeps stroking Dean until he pushes Cas’ hand away.

Dean collapses into Cas, gasping, trembling. Cas wraps his arms around him and holds him until his breathing has somewhat returned to normal. Eventually, Dean manages to roll over onto his back. They stare at each other wordlessly for a long time, goofy smiles on both of their faces. Dean is quick to fall asleep (as always), fingers intertwined with Cas’ and face pressed into the crook of his neck. Cas kisses Dean’s forehead and settles in for sleep too.

“Happy Birthday, Dean. I love you,” he whispers against Dean’s skin. Without waking Dean, he manages to get them into a big spoon/little spoon position (Dean being the little spoon, of course) before he finally drifts off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Dean wakes up before Cas. Knowing full well his angel isn’t going to be able to function without his coffee, he sneaks into the kitchen hoping that neither Sam nor Eileen have woken up yet. He’s surprised to see there’s a freshly brewed pot already there and when he turns around, he spots Sam.

“Mornin’, Sammy,” Dean mutters as he nonchalantly takes down him and Cas’ mugs from the cabinet and pours coffee into them. _Don’t look him in the eyes_ , Dean reminds himself. He wagers that Sam is awake this early because he either heard everything him and Cas were doing last night or he’s about to wish him a happy birthday. Or both. Probably both.

“Morning…” Sam says sleepily, following up with a yawn, “Have fun last night?”

Dean’s blood runs ice cold. He laughs awkwardly.

“Uh, yeah. Cas and I just watched some movies before…”

“ _Right_ ,” Sam says sarcastically, “Movies.”

Dean turns around and glares at him. He realizes Sam looks incredibly tired and he feels the tiniest pang of guilt. But only for a second. He’s not going to apologize for having amazing birthday sex with his boyfriend, not even to his brother.

“I mean, we did watch movies before we… y’know…”

“Okay, I don’t need any details. I practically felt like I was _there_.”

Dean’s ears turn pink. He goes to sit down at the kitchen table with Sam, carrying the matching mugs him and Cas use every morning.

“Yeah, uh, not sorry ‘bout that.”

Sam shakes his head, laughing through his nose.

“Whatever, man. Sounds like you enjoyed the, uh, first few hours of your birthday at least. Happy Birthday, by the way.”

“Thanks, Sammy.” Dean reaches across the table and squeezes his brother’s shoulder; Sam quickly shrugs him off.

“Dude, I really hope you washed your hands…”

“I definitely didn’t,” Dean jokes and reaches for Sam’s face, “Here, wanna see?”

“No, thank you!” Sam gets up and makes a beeline for the coffee pot, effectively avoiding Dean’s grasp.

“You’re no fun,” Dean says through a laugh before taking a sip of coffee. He sits there for a second before remembering Cas’ coffee. “I should take this to Cas. You know how he is in the morning…”

“And how’s _that_ , Dean?”

Dean startles at the sound of Cas’ voice behind him. Sam snickers quietly and comes to sit back down at the table. Cas scoots his chair next to Dean and immediately picks up his coffee mug. Before taking a sip, he pecks Dean on the cheek.

“Gross,” Sam teases.

“Shut up, Sam. If we gotta put up with you and Eileen’s PDA all the time, you gotta put up with ours.” Dean glares at him, jokingly of course. Cas says nothing – he is grumpy in the mornings, always. But Dean feels like he’s a little more… _coarse_ than usual today.

“Anyway,” Sam sighs and looks at the clock, “Any plans for today? You looked at that nursing home in Florida I told you about?”

Dean elbows Cas in the ribs and whispers, “ _See, I told you_.” Cas rolls his eyes.

“Just another day. Oh, and I already told you I’m not going to any damn nursing homes unless you’re the one paying for it.”

Sam and Dean laugh. Cas sits in his chair with his legs crossed, eyes closed.

“Well, don’t make any plans,” Sam says after a moment, “Eileen just went out to get some groceries to make dinner and dessert. Cas, you still gonna help us with that?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Cas states sharply, obviously irritated. He takes another sip of his coffee. Sam just sighs dejectedly.

“Alright, well, we’re starting on it at 5.”

“ _I’m aware, Sam_ ,” Cas mutters indignantly, letting his eyes flutter open, “Now can I _please_ enjoy my coffee?”

“Of course,” Sam mumbles guiltily. He stands up, grabs his own mug, and heads for the door. Dean doesn’t miss the gentle hand Sam places on Cas’ shoulder as he walks by though. Once his brother leaves the room, Dean scoots closer to Cas and puts his arm around his shoulders.

“What was that about?”

“What was _what_ about?” Cas sips his coffee and side eyes Dean.

“I dunno, seems like you and Sammy have some kind of secret plan. I pick up on shit like that.”

“Well, you’re wrong.”

“Alrighty then.” Dean gets up and snatches his mug up from the table, feeling a little bit irritated with Cas. “I’m gonna go look into some possible cases. Come find me when you stop being such a damn grouchy old man.”

Cas shot a dark look at Dean, but quickly softened.

“Yes, I’m sorry,” Cas murmurs, “I have a lot on my mind.”

“Ah,” Dean says with feigned excitement, “Very reassuring.”

“It’s nothing to worry about.” Cas tilts his head up to look at Dean; Dean understands the cue and leans down to kiss Cas.

“Love you, Cas.”

“I love you too, Dean.”

* * *

By 8, dinner is ready and set out. It looks like some grand feast out of Lord of the Rings on a budget: tin pans filled to the brim with Dean’s favorite comfort foods. Dean had been teasing Cas all evening about his apron (Eileen had gotten it for him, at his request – it had a cute little honeybee on it) until Sam ran Dean out of the kitchen. Dean had sulked away into his mancave to watch TV and drink beer.

They’re all standing around the table when Dean finally says what he’s thinking.

“You invited everyone, didn’t you?”

Eileen busts out laughing and Sam forces a smile.

“Yeah, we did.”

“Oh, that’s _great_ ,” Dean says sarcastically, “So we gotta wait for everyone to get here before we can even eat!”

“Well, that’s the thing… they’re already here.”

Dean hears the door open and footsteps on the stairs. He groans, irritated that no one listened to him about not doing this shit on his birthday. It irritates him even more that Cas was in on it.

One by one, familiar faces start to filter in: Jody, Donna, Claire, Kaia, Alex. Bobby and Charlie come in together, laughing about something. Dean thinks that’s kind of weird, but he doesn’t question it. Garth, Bess and their 3 kids shamble in after a moment. Dean starts getting more and more anxious.

“Jesus _Christ_ , anyone else?” Dean asks Sam, crossing his arms over his chest.

“We’re waiting on one more.”

As if on cue, the door swings open again. Dean watches as someone descends the stairs. Once they come into view, he feels like he must be seeing things.

“Hello!” Jack says with vigor, waving at everyone.

Cas immediately moves to hug Jack tightly.

“I’m so glad you could be here,” he says fondly to Jack, ruffling his hair a bit.

Jack comes over and hugs Dean; Dean forces a smile but hugs him back tightly.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Jack announces with a huge grin.

“ _Great_ ,” Dean mutters with his forced smile still on his face, “Now can we eat?”

* * *

Dean is thankful, at the end of the night, that everyone was able to come. Despite his initial anxieties about having a big birthday celebration, it had actually been quite a nice time. When dessert rolls around, he’s presented with at least 10 different types of pie. He must be in Heaven he thinks, that’s the only real explanation for so much pie in one place.

Rowena had been kind enough to send Dean a card, which everyone found quite funny.

But he’s worried, in the back of his mind. Cas has been distant all evening, staying close by Jack and Sam and Eileen. A few times, Dean had grabbed him and kissed him on the cheek, only to be met with a lukewarm response from Cas. _Thank God for booze_ , he kept thinking as the night went on.

Once everyone had finished their desserts and digested, they all gather in the main room for drinks. Everyone takes a seat and Sam stands up, raising his beer. Dean looks around for Cas, panicking, knowing his brother is about to give some stupid, heartfelt speech. He doesn’t see Cas anywhere, which makes him feel like the pie in his stomach might be on the floor in a matter of seconds.

“Okay, everyone, listen up!” Sam announces to the room, then turns to his brother, “Today is a really special day and I’m glad you all could make it. I’m sure Dean is too.”

Dean forces a smile and nods but doesn’t say anything. He downs his glass of whiskey.

“ _But_ …” Sam starts, his voice softening, “It’s not _just_ Dean’s birthday we’re celebrating today.”

Dean feels his stomach lurch. He looks around at everyone – they’re all grinning from ear to ear. He can’t help but feel a little bit unsettled by all of this. He feels like a zoo animal.

“Someone here has a very important _announcement_ to make,” Sam says, turning his head toward the back hallway of the bunker. “Cas?”

Dean’s heart stops.

Cas walks into the room, Jack at his side. He’s nervous, Dean can tell. He’s wearing what looks like a very fancy deep blue suit with a silver tie. Dean feels like he might have a stroke – he’s never seen Cas in an outfit like this and boy, is he _handsome_. He has to shake away some of the dirty thoughts that come to his mind.

Cas straightens his tie as he makes his way across the room. Jack lingers back, coming to stand next to Sam and Eileen. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Jody wiping tears away from her eyes.

“What is this?” Dean asks no one in particular.

Cas approaches him and reaches for Dean’s hand wordlessly. Dean stares at him, then his hand, then reluctantly takes it. He stands and he’s face to face with Cas. Dean can’t read him, there are so many emotions flashing across Cas’ face.

“Dean.”

“Cas?”

“I—” he clears his throat, starts again, “I want to thank everyone for being here tonight. I have been preparing for this day for some time now and I couldn’t have done this without all of your help.” Cas looks around the room, a smile now pulling at the corners of his lips. Dean hears someone sniffle. His gears start to turn.

Cas’ eyes land back on Dean. He’s still holding his hand. Dean swallows hard around the knot in his throat.

“Dean Winchester.”

It’s starting to dawn on him. Dean feels his knees start to shake. Is this what he thinks it is?

“I never thought that I could come to love someone – anyone – as much as I love you. I never thought we would be here today. Surrounded by our friends. _Our family_. Yours and mine.”

“Cas…” Dean whispers, squeezing his hand.

“I know that our journey together hasn’t been easy. We have been through… _so much_ together. We’ve seen the world almost end… more than once.”

A few quiet laughs from the audience.

“I’ve watched you die. You’ve watched me die. We had to fight to get here, but we… we’re _here_. We made it. You… well, I don’t need to tell you that you’ve made such a huge impact on my life. You know that.”

_Knowing you has changed me…_

“And I’ve realized that I can’t imagine my life without you in it, Dean. We have seen the best and the worst of each other. We have been to Hell and back, quite literally. You are… the most kind, compassionate, genuine person I know. You love with your whole heart, you fight for what you believe in.”

_You’re the most caring man on Earth. You are the most selfless, loving human being I will ever know._

Dean’s breath hitches and tears start to gather in the corners of his eyes. He can’t take his gaze off of Cas.

“I… Dean, I…” Cas hesitates, wipes tears from his eyes, “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. We have shared so many years together already and I want to spend so many more… with you. Only you.”

Tears start to roll down Dean’s face. He reaches up and catches a tear at the corner of Cas’ eye. In this moment, he feels like it’s just the two of them in this room together. No one but Dean and Castiel.

“I love you.”

_I love you._

“I love you too, Cas.”

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“I’d like that.” Dean’s voice breaks; he holds back a sob.

“So…” Cas rummages in his pocket for a few seconds before pulling out a small box. It’s intricate, _beautiful_. He recognizes Enochian symbols carved into the wood. _Cas made this himself_ , Dean realizes and sniffles loudly. Cas stares at Dean for a long moment before slowly kneeling. He opens the box and inside is a white gold ring. There are several stones set into the band, but Dean can’t tell what they are. He realizes he’s not breathing.

“Dean Winchester… will you be my husband?”

Everyone in the room holds their breath, Dean included. He stands there, staring down at Cas, whose eyes are glistening with tears. Finally, after what feels like hours, Dean kneels down and grabs Cas’ face. He kisses him, really kisses him. He doesn’t care about anyone else in the room, just Castiel. Only Castiel. When he pulls away, he wipes his with the back of his hand.

“Yes, Cas. I like the sound of that.”

Cas shakily takes the ring out of the box and reaches for Dean’s hand. Dean has to hold back a laugh.

“ _Left hand_ ,” he whispers into his ear and holds out his hand. Cas carefully slides the ring onto Dean’s finger – the _correct one_ – and then kisses his hand gently.

When they stand, Dean pulls Cas into a tight hug. When he lets him go, Dean kisses him again, like he’s never kissed him before. Everyone in the room breaks out into applause.

The next moments are a whirlwind. Suddenly, they’re both surrounded by people with their arms outstretched. Voices are coming at them, saying things like “Congratulations” and “I’m so happy for you” but it’s a blur as to who said what. Sam is the last the come up – he puts a gentle hand on Dean’s shoulder and smiles.

“Dean…”

“Oh, Sammy, c’mon. I’m already cryin’, man.”

“I just want to say… I’m so happy for you. You _deserve_ this. You and Cas both deserve this more than anyone in the world.”

“Thanks, Sam.” Dean pulls his brother into a tight hug; he manages to get tears and snot all over Sam’s jacket.

Once everyone is sitting again, Sam raises his beer and says, “To Dean and Cas!”

Everyone in the room responds, “To Dean and Cas!”

Dean, with his arm around Cas, picks up his glass and holds it in the air.

“Hell yeah! I’ll drink to that!”


End file.
